Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the installation of optical fibers in building rooms and hallways for providing communication services to occupants, and particularly to a tool that facilitates such installations.
Discussion of the Known Art
In a known procedure for installing an optical fiber inside a user's premises to provide communication services (e.g., voice, data, and Internet access), the fiber is hidden from view as much as possible by routing it along or inside existing structural corners or crevices in each room of the installation, for example, between a crown or floor molding and a wall, or directly between the wall and the ceiling or floor. Before placing a fiber at or near the ceiling, an installer climbs a ladder or step stool, and uses a hand tool to deposit an epoxy adhesive bead of about 0.1 inch diameter in the selected corners or crevices along the installation path.
For a typical ceiling installation, the installer must move and climb the ladder ten or more times to deposit the adhesive bead at all of the selected locations. After depositing the bead, the installer repositions and climbs the ladder again, and uses a finger to embed a length of the fiber within the installer's safe reach into the bead. Next, the installer moves and climbs the ladder again as often as necessary to embed the fiber in the bead over the entire path of the installation. As a result, furniture at the premises must be temporarily set aside to clear a path for the ladder each time the ladder is repositioned.
Tools are also known that work to apply or activate an adhesive coating on an optical fiber, and to apply the coated fiber onto a structural surface after which the fiber bonds to the surface when the adhesive coating dries or cures. See U.S. Pat. No. 8,792,766 (Jul. 29, 2014), and U.S. Pat. No. 8,906,178 (Dec. 9, 2014), both of which are assigned to the assignee of the present application and are incorporated by reference.
In view of the above, there is a need for a tool that enables an installer to embed an optical fiber or cable in an adhesive bead deposited along structural corners or crevices in a building room or hallway, regardless of the height of the bead, and while the installer stands safely on the floor and does not require a ladder or other means to elevate him or her to the height of the bead.